Football | 9/25/2025 1:00:00 PM
Game #4
Emporia State Hornets (1-2, 0-1 MIAA)
vs. #18 Pittsburg State Gorillas (2-2, 1-1 MIAA)
Saturday, September 27 • 1:00 p.m.
Jones Field at Welch Stadium • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: PSU leads 65-35-2
Last Meeting: #21 ESU 24, at #4 PSU 21 (Sept. 14, 2024)
Radio: KFFX-FM (104.9) Pregame 12:00 p.m.
Internet (Audio): www.kvoe.com
Internet (Video): The MIAA Network
Television: None
Officials: Announced on Game Day
Live Stats |
Ticket Info |
Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Missouri Western
Saturday, October 4 • 6:00 p.m.
Spratt Stadium • St. Joseph, Mo.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Emporia State plays host to #18 Pittsburg State on Family Day at Welch Stadium.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State had more first downs and more passing yards but Loper Isaiah Harris ran for the most yards by an opponent against the Hornets since 2014 in a 34-20 victory by the Lopers in Kearney. With UNK leading 7-0 ESU scored on back to back drives with
Ben Harris tossing a 55 yard touchdown to
Ethan Schultze and a 45 yarder to Kingsley Bennet to take a 13-7 lead with 11:16 left in the first half. Isaiah Harris scored twice in the 3:49 of the half to put the Lopers up 20-13 at the break.
Ben Harris connected with
Mason Ford for a 27 yard scored to tie the game with 8:16 left in the third. UNK took a 27-20 lead with 2:26 left in the third and ESU responded by driving to the Loper three yard line before the Lopers ended the quarter with a strip sack. On the ensuing drive Isaiah Harris broke through for a 74 yard touchdown with 12:33 left.
Ben Harris was 34 of 55 for 382 yards and three touchdowns and connected with nine different receivers.
Malik O'Atis had ten catches for 113 yards while Ethan Schutlze had five receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown and Bennett caught four passes for 71 yards and a score.
Landon Boss had a career high 13 tackles with a sack.
THE COACHES
Garin Higgins has a career record of 165-95 in his 22nd season as a head coach. He is 114-86 in his 18th season at his alma mater. He is the winningest active coach in the MIAA and has the fifth most wins among MIAA coaches in history. He needs two wins to tie Fran Welch's school record of 116 wins from 1928-54. He has led the Hornets to the post season in eight of the last 12 seasons with three NCAA Playoffs and a national semifinal appearance in 2015. He had a 51-9 career record at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game. Higgins was a quarterback for Emporia State from 1987-90 and was on the 1989 national runners-up team. He is 4-10 against Pittsburg State.
Tom Anthony is 10-5 in his second year at Pittsburg State. He is 0-1 against Emporia State.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 1-2 on the season. They are sixth in the nation in passing offense and seventh in pass defense while ranking fourth in net punting.
Ben Harris is leading the nation in completions, and is third in passing yards and total offense per game.
Malik O'Atis is second in the nation in receptions per game.
Mason Ford is fourth nationally in punt returns while
Dylan Davidson is fifth in punting.
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State is 2-2, 1-1 in the MIAA and ranked #18 in the nation. They are ranked eighth in the nation in interceptions and 16th in pass efficiency defense. Jordan Rogers leads the MIAA in interceptions.
THE SERIES
This is the 103rd meeting between the schools, making it the seventh most played active rivalry at the NCAA Division II level. Pitt State leads the all-time series 65-35-2.
LAST TIME AGAINST PITTSBURG STATE
Emporia State took advantage of three Pittsburg State turnovers on the way to a 24-21 Hornet win in Pittsburg. The #4 Gorillas scored on a 19 yard touchdown pass with 8:19 left before the #21 Hornets answered with a 25 yard field goal by
Caden Dodson to make it 7-3 with 4:04 left in the first quarter. ESU took the lead for good on a 19 yard pass from
Gunnar Gundy to
Tyler Kahmann with 12:26 left in the half. After a
Kobe Holley interception, ESU went up 17-7 on an eight yard pass from Gundy to Kahmann. PSU cut the lead to 17-14 on a one yard run with 9:14 remaining in the game. After a
Cade Stephenson interception at the PSU 16, Gundy would run it in on the next play to put the Hornets up 24-14 with 5:38 left. A 13 yard pass with 3:29 left got Pitt State within 24-21 but
Billy Ross Jr. gained 16 yards on third and 12 with under a minute left to ice the game. Gundy was 26 of 40 for 217 yards and two touchdowns. Kahmann had eight receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
UP NEXT
The Hornets are back on the road at Missouri Western to open October. Kick-off from Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo. is set for 6:00 p.m.
Complete Notes available
here
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